


sun twinkling on the river this evening; I tasted chocolate on my tongue

by pepper_407



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Friendship, Gen, Mentions of Lexi Branson, but very very slight hints of romantic feelings, this is set sometime during season four probably
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-18 20:41:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28749426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pepper_407/pseuds/pepper_407
Summary: Stefan and Caroline hang out like friends do, featuring a broody Stefan and his best friend
Relationships: Caroline Forbes & Stefan Salvatore
Comments: 3
Kudos: 7





	sun twinkling on the river this evening; I tasted chocolate on my tongue

**Author's Note:**

> the title is from song for julien calender by the mountain goats and it has pretty much nothing to do with the fic, I just thought the vibe matched up

It's become somewhat of a regular thing for Stefan to hang out with Caroline in her bedroom and even though it was kind of weird for a while, it has honestly almost become second nature. If nothing (or at least nothing too giant) is going on in the world of supernatural chaos he will come through the window, or the door, depending on if Liz is home or how much feels like interacting with her, it's so normal and teenage-ish that he can't help but revel in the simplicity of it.

Stefan honestly loves hanging out with Caroline, they sit and watch a movie or gossip, well mostly Caroline gossips, although sometimes he has something to spill and even though he's mostly against it on principle, the face Caroline makes when he has some information about two people hooking up or something along those lines is just so joyful and pure and she doesn't have that look on her face enough so he can't help but seek out information that will put the look on her face more often. It does make him wish he had known her before everything went down, but then realises that that would have been impossible and he also wouldn't want to exchange the friendship they built for anything.

Sometimes he feels guilty though. He kind of feels like he's just finally got some kind of replacement for Lexi and that's such a shitty way to feel about someone, they should be their own person to you. And Caroline and Lexi are of course different in lots of ways, they are also similar in nature and how they act and how safe and cared for they make him feel. Also, neither of them take his bullshit.

So when Caroline sarcastically but also worriedly asks if he's still alive over here, he replies honestly with the question that has been plaguing his mind, "Am I a bad friend?"

She gives him a look that he can't quite decipher until she says, "I just spent twenty minutes complaining to you about getting a C on a test before I noticed you were completely zoned out, I'm pretty sure right this second I'm the slightly worse friend"

"Which class?"

"Wow, I thought you were the king of serious conversations"

"This is a serious conversation?"

"Well it kind of felt like you were starting one, unless I misread that angst in your tone"

"Uh"

She gives him a half pitiful and half condescending look, "Now why do you think you're a bad friend?"

"Lexi was my only real friend for a long time and now you have slid into her slot perfectly"

"You feel bad for having another friend after she's been gone for a few years, fuck Stefan, that's a little sad"

"I don't think I've ever heard you swear"

"Well I'm full of surprises"

"I guess so," He says as she gives him a grin that makes his heart flutter just a little bit

"You have nothing to feel guilty about, well not nothing exactly, but nothing to do with me, we built a friendship and then it continued and yes, Lexi and myself have some similarities but that makes sense, people are drawn to similar people, I worded that badly but you know what I mean, this is a really a conversation I would have scripted if I knew it was coming"

"Thank you, Caroline"

"What are best friends for?"

"Best friends are we?" Stefan asks and realises she actually looks pretty anxious about saying that so he makes sure to look her in the eye, "I guess that makes sense"

She visibly exhales and says, "I've seen you eyeing my nail polish recently" Caroline nods her head to the jar of what he can only assume are a thousand bottles of nail polish and then continues, "Do you want me to put some on you?"

"It's been a while"

"You used to wear nail polish?"

"Got a problem with that?"

"No, I think that's awesome, just another part of why you're my best friend"

"You just found out"

"Well now it's another part of why"

He concedes his point, "Well Lexi and I used to do each other's nails, it was enjoyable, it's just been a while since I've had the opportunity or even the thought really"

"I don't want to intrude on something you two did together"

Stefan just shakes his head and goes to grab the jar that he honestly doesn't understand how Caroline used to be able to pick up without vamp strength and empties them all onto the floor next to them both

"I'll forgive this mess this one time because I'm too excited, but don't make it a habit of emptying out my stuff on the floor"

Stefan just shakes his head and looks at this girl in awe while she goes straight to showing him so many colours that he would, in her words, kick ass.


End file.
